Destiny
by Yusagi
Summary: (rated for violence)UPDATE! Cloud goes on a field exam!A ff7ff8 x-over. Cloud was at Aeris' grave, when the unthinkable happened! Sephiroth appeared! After his surprise attack, Cloud wakes up in Balamb Garden infirmary...and not all is as it seems..
1. Waking Up

Disclaimer: Not mine nuh-uh...well...not square enix anyway.p  
  
AN: Here is my first non-humor X-over, mainly done so that I can prove I can do this....based on many a legend and supersition in my family about these games...^.^..that and a game I once played with Spart-spart!! lol  
  
No, unlike usual, I don't tell you Squall's eyecolor....because I can't remember it!!  
  
Please help with some details! What is that doctor's name? A quick description of all the chars' appearances( eyecolor, etc) would help too, I haven't owned ff8 in a year or so...and haven't played it in longer...-.-;  
  
I pronounce SeeD as CD....^.^ but I am aware it's pronounced Seed....really I am...just like I pronounce Chocobo Co-Co-Boo....And I always WILL!!!! Lol!  
  
However, the characters here are authentic to Squaresoft.( I hate Square_enix.......stupid name)  
  
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Chapter 1: Waking up  
  
Cloud Sighed, as he kissed the stone gravemarker, he missed her so much.p  
  
" One day...I promise I'll see you again..." He whispered.  
  
" Strife." Came a coldly familiar voice, but that was impossible!  
  
He spun around in horror, and his eyes fell on the most terrifying sight imaginable, Sephiroth was standing before him, unharmed, and sword drawn. A small smirk played across his face, a moment, before he said. " You should thank me, I'm letting you join her."  
  
Faster than thought, faster than the fear welling up inside him at the sight of Masamune streaking down at him, Cloud's hand lanced upward for his sword, but he could not get it half-way out, before the blade bit deep into his flesh.  
  
Pain seared through him, and the darkness drew him in.  
  
Whispers tugged at the edge of consciousness, fire burned around him, and a face watched him through the flame, silent, but concerned.  
  
He tried to move towards it, to run to the shadow of the woman he loved, but his body was stiff, and unresponsive.  
  
A cool breeze caressed his face through the heat, a smiling whisper danced just out of reach....then a voice shone through the chaos, though it seemed quiet.  
  
"--No idea? He can't have appeared from nowhere!...I see."  
  
Slowly, he opened his eyes...he'd been closing them?  
  
A woman stood with her back turned to him, in a white labcoat, she seemed to be talking on some sort of phone.  
  
He groaned when he tried to move, as a sharp pain flashed through him, originating from his forehead.  
  
' That's reight.....Sephiroth...' He thought numbly, but how was he still living then? Sephiroth had plenty of reasons to want him dead...he touched his forehead, and felt the coarse material of a bandage.  
  
The woman turned to face him, a look of surprise registered on her face, then walked up saying quickly, " Ah! You are awake, think you can tell me your name---careful there!!"  
  
The woman ran up to steady him, as he pushed himself up to a sitting postion.  
  
" Ugh, my name...." He said, shrugging her off, " Is Cloud, where am I? Where is Sephiroth??"  
  
" Sephiroth?!" Came a voice from the doorway, " My grandmother used to tell a myth of HER grandmother fighting a horrible monster with that name!"  
  
Cloud whipped his head around to face the voice, ignoring how the room swam at his actions. Yuffie?...no...the woman standing before him was...not-quite-Yuffie....she had a slightly more mature face, and appeared a bit older.  
  
" You know wher ehe is?" He asked carefully, as yet unsure of whether they were friend or foe.  
  
" He's long dead, as the story goes...." The woman said, slightly confused, then turned to the other woman, " Doctor, I have the report you asked for."  
  
" Put it on the desk, I have some things I want to discuss with you..." The 'doctor' said, walking out.  
  
As the women were preoccupied, Cloud stumbled out of bed, and carelessly yanked the bandage off of his head, the Mako that had been infused in his blood, providing boosted regeneration, though not as extreme as Sephiroth's, it was still far beyond that of a normal human.  
  
He frowned, where was his sword? After a quick glance about the area, he found his treasure, it was leaning casually against a wall, next to the exit.  
  
That was fine, it was where he was headed, anyway...if only the room would stop spinning with every step he took.  
  
" Hey! You can't get up yet!!" He heard the doctor protest behind him, but he ignored her, doctors always overreacted.  
  
He grabbed his sword, and stumbled out of the infirmary.  
  
The few people that were walking to and from the infirmary gawked at his sword, and generally avoided him as best possible, clinging to the walls of the hallway, trying to slide by unnoticed.  
  
Of course, they were still within reach of the Ultima sword, and Cloud preferred it that way, ensuring that he could defend himself at a moment's notice.  
  
Suddenly, a man walked up to him, unafraid, most likely a great deal of his courage stemmed from the odd-looking blade strapped to his hip. He had short brown hair, that was parted casually to the side.  
  
" You..." He said cooly," are extraordinary."  
  
Cloud frowned, what did that mean?  
  
The man made a small gesture towards Cloud's forehead, then said, " Barely a mark, the original wound was near-fatal."  
  
Cloud shrugged and said, " What's your point?"  
  
" I'm a SeeD in training, the headmaster, Cid, has asked me to escort you around the Garden, My name is...Squall."  
  
Cid?? Could it be?...No...The Cid Cloud knew would never become headmaster of anything short of a flight school.  
  
" Where am I?"  
  
Squall frowned slightly, " The south western wing of the Balamb Garden."  
  
Balamb? The name did not ring any bells in Cloud's mind. " What is a seed?"  
  
" The SeeD are a group of Ultra-elite mercinaries, we are sent around the world on missions, and are paid according to job and rank."  
  
Mercinary, eh? What ironic Deja vu.  
  
" Strange you haven't heard of us."  
  
Cloud shrugged his shoulders casually, and walked away from the slightly bewildered youth, Squall was obviously much younger than himself, judging by his inexperienced voice. The boy caught up quickly, though, his feathers only slightly ruffled at being so blatantly ignored.  
  
" How old are you?" Cloud asked flatly, his pounding headache not lending very much cheer to his voice.  
  
The youth seemed slightly taken aback at the abrupt question, and was silent a moment, before saying finally, "...17."  
  
17? The boy seemed too mature to be that age, yet it seemed true enough strangely.  
  
" Where is your food?" Cloud asked curtly, not pleased at all by the fact that his stomach was demanding so stubbornly for food when he had only eaten a few hours ago.  
  
" The cafeteria." Squall replied, pointing towards a distant bridge.  
  
" Hmph. Did any one ever tell you this Garden is too big?"  
  
Now, it seemed, it was Squall's turn to fall silent, and the two men made their way to the Cafeteria without another word being spoken.  
  
As they were about to make it to the counter, though, a blonde-haired youth ran up, and cut them off. It appeared he'd been running awhile, judging by his shortness of breath, as he spoke.  
  
" One...*pant*...hot dog...please...." He wheezed.  
  
The cafeteria lady gave him a sympathetic look, and shook her head, " Sorry, but we're all sold-out today..."  
  
The boy sighed, and trudged out, past a trio of suspicious looking characters.  
  
The one with a long tan coat, and red hair, apparently their leader, looked at his companions, and said, " Speeding."  
  
The three nodded in unison, the the silver haired woman, dressed in a blue-military suit, added, " APPREHEND!"  
  
" Ya, let's do it, ya know?" The black one, dressed in casual clothes, agreed, and the three rushed off, to follow the unfortunate blonde.  
  
Cloud shook his head slightly at the comic routine, and turned his attention to the woman at the counter.  
  
One thing was for sure, before he could find, and defeat, Sephiroth, he needed to eat.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------  
  
AN: Whew, there we go....that was tough, Squall is WAY too uptight, and I think I ruined his personality a little, trying to wrench some info out of him...LOL  
  
I also think I might have turned Rajin into a black Wakka there....but....I'll get better, I hope.  
  
R&R!!!  
  
If you like humorous x-overs, try these:  
  
The Big Mix up. by Sparty  
  
Recruiter, by ME!!  
  
~Yusagi Sombermoon. 


	2. Headmaster

Disclaimer: Not mine. Nuh-UH!

AN: Here's chapter two, I hope this explains some things......and...thanks for the reviews, I didn't expect it to be so popular!...After scouring the net, I found a name I think is right for doctor...it could be incorrect, though

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Chapter 2: Headmaster

" Are you telling me you have no idea what, or where, Balamb is?"

Cloud looked up irritably at the youth, " Yes, can I eat now?"

The man sighed, and nodded, it wasn't that Cloud thought the food was very good...actually it was normal cafeteria quality, all-too-remnisant of ShinRa...it was just...he did not want to talk about it... the only logical explanation, he could not accept it...except that it was proven...

It was 230 years Post-Meteor...no one remembered _what_ meteor anymore, all that remained were vague myths...it had come from the sky, some said it was made of living creatures, some did not believe it was a meteor at all...the only world-wide knowlege was, that it had wiped out an extremely advanced civilization....the Centra...

Cloud couldn't help but wonder if the extra 'n' hinted at more than a spelling mistake....

_ Hahaha....You fool...no matter how hard you try, I will always win..._

Cloud snapped his head up, and looked towards the voice, a dark-skinned SeeD-in-training, was playing some sort of card game with a woman of similar rank.

" Triple Triad." Squall said suddenly.

Surprised, Cloud looked in his direction, in askance.

" It's an absurdly popular card game, that's spread throughout the world...."

" There you are!" Came an oddly familiar voice, from behind Cloud, " You had Doctor Kadowaki worried half to death!"

Cloud turned his head to see the Yuffie-look-alike, and said cooly, " I'm fine."

" That's for-" The woman started, then gasped, when she saw his forehead, " ...What....how..?"

Cloud simply ignored her, and went back to eating, noting Squall's silent staring at the woman.

" You have alot of questions to answer...for starters...how in the world are you sitting there alive?!" The woman ranted, " You have enough toxins in your blood to--"

" Mako." He said cooly, hoping she would be satisfied, and leave...but scientists never were...

" Oh, so now you'll answer me..FINALLY! How are you alive? Huh??" The woman insisted.

" Ah! Squall! I knew you'd be here." Came the voice of another woman.

All this chittering and foot traffic reminded Cloud far too much of ShinRa..the food didn't help either...of course....even ShinRa was something of the past....just like all of his friends...just when he'd finally allowed himself to become close to people again...Aeris....Avalanche...

Cloud frowned at his fork, as it clattered to the plate, he'd lost his appitite.

" You must be the mystery man, I'm Instructor Quistis Trepe." The new woman said, stepping into his view, she was tall, blue-eyed, and had blonde hair, pinned up fashionably. " I apologize for my student, Seifer's rashness earlier. I trust you were not seriously injured?"

" What?" He asked flatly, looking up at her.

" Don't you remember? You appeared while he and Squall were training, and you caught th bad side of Seifer's blade."

" No."

She frowned slightly, before saying, " Well, at any rate, I have to steal Squall from you, and the Headmaster wishes to speak with you."

" Where is he?"

" I'll take him there!" The woman from the infirmary said.

" I think I just remembered." Cloud replied sarcasticly, standing up.

" Let Emily take you there..." Quistis nodded, calling a teen-aged girl, with her hair up in braided pig-tails.

" Hi!" She smiled, " I'll take you to Headmaster Cid! This way!!"

Shaking his head slightly, he bid Squall farewell, and followed the energetic young girl through the huge corridors, to a large elevator.

" Floor 3, here we come!" She chirped, as they entered.

As the elevator moved upwards, she stared at him intensely, directly into his eyes.

" How do you do that?" She asked finally.

" Do what?"

" Your eyes...glow so prettily..."

The mark of a SOLDIER...but, apparently, no one here remembered ShinRa....or any of it's creations...

Fortunately, the elevator reached it's destination before he had to explain himself, he hated explaining himself.

When the doors slid open, a man was standing patiently in front of the door...at least....he _ thought_ it _might_ be a man...it looked far more like a monster, than a human.

His skin was yellow, and he had _huge_ yellow hands, his face was elongated and misshapen...that creature could not possibly be Cid!!

It bowed slightly at their arrival, but it's bow held no humility.

" The headmaster waits....you may leave, child..."

Emily nodded, depressed, and waited only until Cloud exited the elevator, before pressing the button to close the door, the...creature scurried up to a pair of heavily engraved doors, and opened them carefully, inside stood a man who looked like an identical twin of Cid Highwind, if slightly younger, brown haired, and unscarred.

" Welcome stranger..." The man said, " I...am Headmaster Cid Kramer."

" What do you want?" Cloud asked dryly, cutting to the chase.

" I want to know where you come from, who you are...with your healing abilities, you would make a valuable SeeD."

" My days as a mercinary are over." Cloud replied quickly, mainly because a part of him feared meeting another Aeris....because a large part of him felt like he betrayed her, even by looking at Tifa, after....

" Aye..I can see that you do not need gil, with the 30+ million gil you have in your pack...but a SeeD is not just about the work...it.."

" Headmaster, I do not believe our guest wishes to hear a speech..." The creature cut in quickly.

" Ah...You think I was droning on? I suppose so...yes, we must cut to the chase." The headmaster nodded, " For the time being, we will welcome you here, as Gardens must always do, the only conditions, are that you answer my questions, and you participate in the daily duties and chores of this institution, as all other residents must."

" What questions?"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Squall frowned at his terminal, as the inspector continued her lesson.

Who was that girl in the cafeteria?

Who was the strange warrior who had appeared during his, and Seifer's training, that had inadvertantly, spared Squall a grevious wound, and perhaps more? He wished he could have spoken to him longer, more than the massive sword strapped casually to the man's back, he exibited an aura of dangerous power. Squall had little doubt Cloud could kill him in an instant...his belief in no small amount due to the fact that he had seen the man holding his sword as easily and as casually as one might a feather Rapier....could he truly be...from the past?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Kadowaki frowned as she looked over at her part-time assistant, " Completely healed you say?....I don't understand how..."

The woman's only reply was a slight shrug.

" What do you think of him, Elle?"

" Well...he's cute.." She admitted, blushing slightly.

" Hah! And by the way he talks, he could be your great-great-great-_great_ grandfather, for all you know!"

" Maybe...I've never heard anyone but my family talk about that myth..." The girl whispered, " And he spoke as if the myth were now...."

" What? That Sef-whatever?"

" Sephiroth." The girl corrected.

" Yeah....him, now that you mention it, I remember a family folk-tale with him in it..."

" What was it?"

" Oh, something about an over-ambitious scientist that created a monster he couldn't control...one of my ancestors, my family always claims...the moral was something like, never create what you cannot control."

" Strange, same name?"

" Yeah...something like that...but the tale goes...he destroyed the world...making the entire tale oxymoronic...being as I'm still here.." The doctor said, matter-of-factly, " I think there actually was a 'Sefroth' but...I doubt he's what either of our tales make him out to be,"

" I'll see if I can find anything on him."

" Eat your heart out." The doctor said, dissmissing the girl, somehow, the doctor knew there was something much more terrible to this 'Sephiroth', than the tales revealed....something only their visitor could show...

______________________________________

AN: Done! With chapter 2, anyway..lol ^.^ Did I think ya? Huh,huh,huh, maybe??

I hope this was as good as you guys made the last one out to be...lol.....To tell the truth, our game only made it through chapter 1...before it melted into self-destructing chaos....

Other books by Me:

FF7=Fate:What If Cloud didn't meet Aeris in the Church? What if Sephiroth did.....How would the world change do you think? Aer/Seph book

Zelda=Hero of Time:The story of Link and...Brian? Set in OOT, done to a RPG me and Sparty ( My brother) once played about it, R&R!...bad Humor throughout

.Hack=Second Chance: Ten years after .hack, Mimiru and Sora re-meet eachother, Tsukasa has long ago logged out, and died tragically, next to his wife, Mimiru, now she seeks refuge in the world that once held her beloved captive...and the virus returns.mi/sora mi/tsuk

.Hack=Alone:Mimiru loves Tsukasa, but he's not sure who to love, and she can't wait any longer....secretly, Crim loves Mimiru, but can he admit it to her, before it's too late?

.Hack=Torment:The highly anticipated sequel to Alone! The team must now cope with the loss of a friend, and deal with a new threat...is Subaru going insane?

Insane x-over=Recruiter:The first chapter of my action packed-badpun-riddled Cross-over, when a young woman finds out that every dimension has collided, and SHE is Chosen to unite them all, and defeat the greatest evil ever known...or doom the Multi-verse, choices, choices...hmm

DBZ=Untold Tale:Perfect edition update, spell checked and everything! Thankies!COMPLETE! All of us know about Bardock...right? Thats where Goku got his dashing good looks, right? But what about his Mother, Juniper...what happened to her

-Yusagi Sombermoon 


	3. Ghosts

Disclaimer: I don't own Square-enix, or anything associated with it or the Final Fantasy Franchise(sounds cool, huh?) 

AN: Hey all...sheepish smile Sorry I've been sleeping so long, but hopefully Im back now, and better than ever!! (bull) 

On a side note, I noticed the petition that has been passing around, and I thought I'd comment....I have no idea whether to join it or not, on one hand, FF.net has every right to delete our works, we agreed to that when we signed up, on the other, they should, out of courtiousness(is that a word?), look in to it, contact us, or warn us first....after all, flamers lie, thats what they do inherently. Alot of the authors I respect have signed it, so I just want to say this: No disrespect, but fo now, I'm gonna stay out of this whole mess....Now, ON TO THE BOOK!!!

* * *

**Destiny **

_Chapter 3:Ghosts_

Cloud considered the middle-aged man in front of him cooly, as he sat back in his chair.....though he detested the idea of being a mercinary-for-hire, even an organized one, ever again, he understood that the only plausable chance he had of finding Sephiroth and getting back home, were that even possible, was to join up with them....if only for a little while...and then he could return home...to his silence, and his ghosts. 

He gave a small sigh, " Alright, I'll help your...'seeds'" 

" Good good...excellent!!" The man, Cid, nodded excitedly. 

" But lets get this one thing _perfectly_ clear," he said, leaning forward, " I'm not your man, I'm not another of the 'kids' that you rose up from the streets, I'm here of my own voalition, and I leave when I please." 

Cid stared silently a moment, intimidated by his sudden change in tone and appearance, twitching nervously under Cloud's steady gaze. 

"O-of course." He said smoothly, though the sweat running down his neck belied his nervousness, and sttod up fluidly, struggling to regain his composure, " B-but please, follow the rules of this place, i-if only for the sake of peace...." 

Cloud only grunted in response, and walked away silently, ignoring the small man's sigh of relief as the doors swung silently shut behind him. 

As the elevator doors opened, Cloud nearly fell over with shock, Aeris was standing infront of him, smiling softly. 

How? How was it possible?!! He was about to speak, when she walked up, and touched his cheek softly, her hand a wisp against his skin, slowly, she leaned up into his face, mere inches away....the intoxicating scent of her hair filled his mind, and he was sent spiraling down into her depthless emerald eyes. 

" Cloud..." she whispered, her breath hot against his face, 

" Cloud?" She asked, confused, " Cloud, are you okay?" 

Suddenly, he realised the girl, Elle, was standing uncomfortably close to him. 

He gave a small cry of shock, and jerked away from her, backing up against the elevator wall. 

" Woah! Who did you think I was?" She asked, her eyebrows raised, " Are you ill? You look flushed..." 

" What I thought is beside the point now, the question is, what were you doing getting so close to me and...._touching_ me???" he countered quickly, hoping to get off the subject. 

Whatever she was about to say was lost in her sudden stammering, as he cheeks flamed red-hot in embarrassment. 

" What did you want?" He said casually, his composure regained. 

She frowned slightly, his words jolting her out of her previous funk, and said, " Doctor Kadowaki might have approved you for release from the infirmary, but it will take much more than a 'magic chemical' to convince me, I still have many questions for you." 

" I don't have time." He said, his voice a shade harder than he would have liked. 

" And where _exactly_ are you going?? Hmmm??? Perhaps you think to go home?! It doesn't exist anymore!!!" She insisted, as the elevator doors began to close, " Don't you want to know what happened to your home????" 

----------- 

" Have you seen Cloud??" Tifa asked worriedly. 

" I am sorry, the last I saw of him, he appeared to be heading in the direction of the Forgotten Capital." Vincent replied evenly, though there was a slight dissapointment hidden in his icy tone. 

" T-to Aeris again?!...Can't he let the dead lie?!!" She cried, frustrated, " C'mon Vincent, let's go get him, he won't be late for _this_ wedding!!!" 

"B-but ..." 

" It's not for another hour! C'mon!" 

The man sighed, straightened his tuxedo, and followed after the raging woman, mumbling incoherently about " hell's fury" 

----------- 

" Instructor?" He asked smoothly, from behind her. 

She smiled slightly, turning towards him, " Yes? What is it, Squall?" 

" What do you think---" 

" Of that strange boy, Cloud?" She finished, smiling knowingly. 

He was silent a moment, then he nodded softly, " Yes." 

" Well....I don't think he's lying...or at least he doesn't know he is, if what he said is untrue....but he is dangerous, I know that for certain. " She replied, " And that means, friend or foe, we must be wary." 

" But.....why did the Headmaster wish him to go with us on the field training??" 

She frowned slightly, " That....I cannot tell you." 

----------------- 

" I do hope you don't mind hiking." The blonde woman, Quistis, said. 

" It is only a days walk through the forest. I would not call that a 'hike'." Cloud replied bluntly. 

" Right. It should be no trouble at all for an experienced mercinary like you." She nodded, thenlooked towards Squall, " I assume I won't have to carry you, either?" 

" Of course." 

With little else spoken, they walked outside of the 'Garden' gates, and onto the grassy plains beyond. 

As they meandered through the plain, almost mindlessly, a bug suddenly swooped down on them. 

" Agh! Monster!" Squall spat. 

Cloud almost laughed, _that_ was what the people here considered a 'monster'? They had no idea.... 

" Why don't you show us your skills, Cloud?" Quistis said suddenly. 

" It's _his_ training." Cloud replied matter-of-factly, " Or will you need an extra can of Raid, for the gnat?" 

Squall scowled fiercely at him a moment, then leapt at the bug, slicing it in half. 

The rest of their trip to the forest was uneventful, and Cloud found his mind drifting to what the woman had said...a highly advanced civilization in the east, build on the ruins of an even more advanced city.... both now vanished from the globe.... 

Was it possible...? 

" We break here." Quistis said suddenly, stopping in a small clearing in the forest, obviously often-used by the recruits, " The's a clean stream a little further up, with good drinking water, and a bucket for carrying." 

" I'll get it." Cloud said immediately, some time alone would do him good. 

" Thank you." 

Absently, Cloud waved her off, walking towards the sound of water. 

How had he ended up here? Where was Sephiroth, what was his purpose for being in this place? Why had he...seen.... 

He sighed, and shook his head, that wasn't important now...it was most likely the stress, and the recently healed wounds....he had told the doctor that he was fine...but truly.....such grevious wounds taxed his system to it's limits to heal, and it was a wonder he could stand even now... 

But he _must_ find Sephiroth, and above all, he had to get home... 

_"Hahaha....Why do you try so hard, Strife?"_ Came a taunting voice, echoing through the forest, _" No matter what time you are at, she will still be dead...accept my release, and embrace her again, Strife!!"_

Cloud spun around angrily, stung by his nemisis' words, and his eyes fell upon the apparation of terror itself, cloak flying out behind him, blacker than the darkest night, his platnium hair falling down in waves around him, in stark contrariety to the dark madness that swelled within his luminous eyes. 

Sephiroth's sword was drawn, and he advanced upon him. 

The Ultima sword was in Cloud's hands before thought could be processed, brought to bear against his opponent faster even than Cloud would have thought possible, and this time he caught Masamune with his blade. 

To his shock, the blade, and Sephiroth, shimmered, as if a rock had hit a placid lake, and the image passed through his blade, and into him, leaving him as cold and numb as ice. 

Cloud stared blindly a moment, there was no one around....the only sound came from the stream directly behind him. 

He opened his mouth to speak, and dizzyness washed over him, pulling him into darkness. 

---------------------- 

Kadowaki closed the book, and looked up solomnly at the library walls....the legend....yes, what every little child was told around the campfire, to keep them behaved....the dark reaper of the night, the cold blooded warrior of the shadow....who stalked the little children who stayed awake too long....or misbehaved at all, really....she had forgotten entirely that myth, so long ago it had been when she had last heard it. 

But to believe it was true....that a man....a monster...._had_ murdered those millions of people, wiped out an entire civilization, save for the select few who were able to hide away in the caves long enough..... 

But how much was true, and what was lost in the ages of telling, and retelling? 

The Nameless heros, who had saved the world once, but not twice.....The Swordsman, The Thief, The Soldier, The Fighter, The Spy, The Dreamer, The Intellectual, The Liberator, and The Virgin....how steriotypical.... 

From what she had heard from Squall, though, this Cloud could very well be the swordsman, but that would be to assume the legends had any substance in the first place....and besides, _no one_ could be as good as those legends had described.....could they? 

" I wish Balamb had all of this Myth..." She sighed, the first volume only depicted the destruction up Nibilem, and had an etremely brief overview of the rest of the story.....she needed the other volumes to ever _hope_ to be sure. 

_And if it is true? If that monster were reawakened and roaming that planet again??_ Her mind taunted her, demanding an answer from her. 

" Then we're all dead..." She whispered, answering herself.

* * *

AN: Short, I know.... 

And YES I misspelled Nibelhiem on purpose....sheesh. 

Now excuse me while I fiddle with my other 18 FF7 fics.....(havent got em posted yet, of course...) 

mumble mumble stupid ff.net....not accepting my stars.... 

Yusagi Sombermoon


	4. Doubt

Disclaimer: okay, so I don't own Square-enix. What else Is new?

AN: well, sorry I took so long, I've actually had this chapter written for quite some time...ducks projectile rotten fruit so I hope you..er...like it

* * *

**Destiny**

_**Chapter 4: **Doubt_

" Strife..." A voice whispered from the haze behind him.

Cloud whipped around to face his antagonist, but the taunting voice instantly moved behind him once more.

" Why do you fight what you so desire? I alone can give you the perfect, ignorant, bliss....only I can give you the oblivion you seek....give up....succumb to the peace you long for...only I can give you Aeris."

_Aeris..._

Sephiroth stole her from him!!

Cloud's keen ear detected the unmistakable sound of metal on leather...of a deadly katana unsheathing.

Lightning fast, Cloud spun around and brought up his sword to deflect the deadly blade, but his arms felt like lead...his fingers were numb, and his sword clattered to the ground below him, unbelievably heavy.

Paralyzed in fear, Cloud could only watch, as Masamune struck out of the darkness, streaking unobstructed towards him with deadly grace. Only a moment before striking him, the blade wavered, and a scream rang out...a woman...

_Aeris??_

To his mortification, Aeris materialized before him, impaled on the very sword that had been aiming for him. She smiled weakly, as the color drained from her face.

" _A–Aeris!!! NOO!!!!"_

His eyes flew open, as someone shook him violently.

The twin figures of Quistis and Squall materialized slowly above him, as his sight returned to him.

" Are you alright there? You gave us quite a scare." Quistis said, " Perhaps you _weren't_ ready to be released yet...."

"No...I'm fine...I just got....a little dizzy." He assured her as quickly as he could manage, sitting up and firmly ignoring how the world spun about him at his movements.

" 'Dizzy' is serious." Quistis replied bluntly, " Never mind passing out for an hour."

" I'm _FINE!!_"

" Well, if we turn back now, the exam will be considered a failure, regardless of whether we ever made it to the exam site or not, so we'll have to take your word....for now." Quistis sighed, then added, " But I _will_ inform Kadawaki of this when we get back."

" Of _what?!!_ I am perfectly _fine_! Now, are we going to finish this or not?"

Quistis glanced at Squall momentarily, before nodding and saying, " If we start now, we should make it there shortly before evening."

Squall nodded silently in agreement, and with that, they continued through the forest and on towards the 'famed' Fire Cavern.

Fortunately, nothing more was said about Cloud's episode in the forest, and for most of the trip, he was left to his own thoughts. He preferred it that way.

"Despite what popular propaganda might tell you, we have to give most of the SeeDs-in-training the same exam missions." Quistis said finally, as they neared the cavern, " You, however, are a special case, the headmaster requested this mission especially for you."

" What?" Squall replied, allowing slightly more surprise than usual to creep into his voice, " I thought you said-"

" It was procedure, out here, I don't have to follow it so strictly."

" What you mean, is that cameras are not so readily available out here as they are within the walls of the...'garden'." Cloud said suddenly, reminded of ShinRa.

Quistis smiled slightly, and nodded, then continued her earlier speech, " The enemy at the end of the cavern is a formidable foe, but I should be able to handle him, and get you out....should anything get out of hand. Oh, and remember, Cloud....whatever reason you are along, this training mission is for Squall alone."

" Joy..."

As they neared the caverns mouth, two grotesque-looking creatures, with elongated yellow heads, and enormous hands mostly hidden by their overtly-large sleeves, moved to intercept them.

Instinctually, Cloud's hand moved to graze the handle of his broadsword....he did not like these creatures at all.

Quistis Shot him a disapproving look, then walked up to exchange a few words with the intractable creatures.

The...things made an annoying amount of hand gestures toward Cloud, before throwing up their dangerously clawed hands in exasperation and stepping aside, shaking their malformed heads.

Quistis walked back to where Cloud a Squall were standing, and smiled, " They agreed to let you come along, Cloud."

" I'm tickled pink."

" Now, Squall, tell them the time limit you would like."

Squall gave an almost imperceptible nod, and walked up to the creatures.

As Squall's talk incited gratefully less wild hand spiraling from the yellow things, and Quistis seemed content to watch Squall in silence, Cloud allowed his thoughts to wander back to the events in the forest clearing...what had that dream been? Had Sephiroth truly been there in front of him? Why, then, had he not simply killed Cloud then.....How had Masamune slipped through Ultima Sword, a weapon forged from the remains of the ultimate WEAPON...a creature created by a now dormant planet?

Could everything of the planet have passed away now that the last Cetra had died? Including...perhaps, Materia?

Cloud barely suppressed a shudder at the thought.

" I chose 10 minutes." Squall said suddenly, snapping Cloud back into his current 'reality'.

It must have simply been a hallucination...induce by the stress left on his body from his grievous wound....the ghosts....everything.

Which left the final question...was any of _this _real, either?

" Cloud??" Quistis said suddenly, " Are you coming or not?! You're wasting our time, here."

Irritated at himself for getting so carried away, Cloud nodded, and followed the, into the cavern.

Deep down, he could feel this was real....he could hear her calling to him...

_Aeris_

"I'll find you...." He whispered softly, promising himself more than anything else.

''''''''''''''''

As Tifa walked into the tree-ringed clearing, that held the lake they had sent Aeris afloat in, she growled in annoyance, Cloud was nowhere to be seen!

She made a quick loop of the area, and at first, she could spot no sign at all that anyone had ever been there, but then she spotted the blood, only a small drop, but it looked fresh.

She made an exclamation of shock, and instantly Vincent was at her side, he knelt down, and touched the blood with a finger, then rubbing it between his thumb and forefinger, before shaking his head and saying,

" It is not his...it is...Aeris'."

"A-Aeris?? B-but she didn't bleed when...."

" She did not."

Tifa shook her head quickly, it _couldn't_ be Aeris' blood! Even had she bled, which she had _not, _it would have long ago stained, or evaporated...or...or _something!_

" Tifa." Vincent said cooly, his tone mildly inquisitive.

" What?"

" Was there not a head-stone of some sort at this lake?"

"Yes, Cloud-" Suddenly, she caught herself, the stone should be in this exact place!

What was going on?! Where was Cloud? Had he-

Before she even realized she was beginning to hyperventilate, her beloved's arms were wrapped about her.

" Calm yourself." He whispered, " Cloud still lives, I can feel it."

"I...I can't believe I'm acting like this....I was so _sure_ I was over him!" Tifa whispered, shaking her head.

" We will never be over our past..."

" I know...but..."

" If you are not ready..."

Was she? No, she would not allow Cloud to ruin her life any longer! She _would _be happy without him! She'd show him!!!!

" I'm more ready than ever." She smiled, hugging him, " Let's get back before anyone notices we're gone."

" I do believe Cid has most likely noticed his Highwind is missing by now."

" We can make him best man to make up for it then!" She laughed, and headed off towards their 'borrowed' Highwind.

Vincent did not speak of what he had seen in the lake to Tifa, unsure if it was real or not.

Deep below the crystal waters, lay the body of a young man, wreathed eternally in the arms of his beloved, staring up blankly at skies far, far away.

* * *

AN: Hm....where the heck am I going with this??? Only I know!(do I really?)

Ah yes, has anyone heard of Tifentine? Heheheh....originally it was gonna be Barret though...o-0

Oh, and I actually quite love those yellow guys from FF8(just not the ones from the Garden)

What was their race called again? They were quite noble...(and they became _cuuuuuute_ Moombas!)

Yusagi Sombermoon

Date Started/Completed; **November 26, 2004**


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